Machine tool with tool changing and transferring means

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a machine tool and, more particularly, to apparatus for use in a manufacturing plant having in storage a number of tool modules which can be attached to and operated by a spindle, the particular module being selected in accordance with the character of a particular workpiece presented to the apparatus.

United States Patent Perry et al.

[451 Mar. 21, 1972 MACHINE TOOL WITH TOOL CHANGING AND TRANSFERRING MEANS Inventors: Charles B. Perry; Lawrence A. Attermeyer, both of Cincinnati, Ohio Assignee: Cincinnati Mllacron lnc., Cincinnati, Ohio Filed: Aug. 6, 1970 Appl. No.: 6 l ,870

Related [1.8. Application Data Continuation of Serv No. 690,942, Dec. 15, 1967, abandoned.

u.s. Cl ..29/sss rm. Cl ..B23q 3/151 Field or Search ..29/568 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,286,595 11/1966 Wollenhaupt ..29/$68 X Primary ExaminerFrancis S. Husar AtromeyNorman S. Blodgett [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a machine tool and, more particularly, to apparatus for use in a manufacturing plant having in storage a number of tool modules which can be attached to and operated by a spindle, the particular module being selected in accordance with the character of a panicular workpiece presented to the apparatus.

14 Claims, 39 Drawing Figures PATENTED MR 21 I972 SHEET [21UF21 INVENTOR. Lawrence A.Attermeyer glhurles B. Perr ATTOBNEY PATENTEDHARZI I972 SHFET U2 0F 21 OCDO PAIENTEDMARZI I972 SHEET 03 [1F 21 w wm PAIENIEDMARZI I972 3.650.018

sum GSOF 21 33 N ii? all E I I A] 'illlllh.

DISCRETE AD E55 POSITO PAIENTEBMAR 21 I972 SHEET UEUF 21 PATENTEDMARZI I972 SHEEI DSUF 21 PAIENTEU MAR 21 I972 SHEU 10 0F 21 PMENTED MAR 21 I972 SHEEI 11 [1F 21 will,

A-JQQ PATENTED MAR 21 I372 SHEET 12 0F 21 PAIENTEDmm I972 SHEET 1 [1F 21 PAIENTEDHAR 21 I972 SHEET 15 0F 21 

1. A machine tool, comprising a. a storage magazine, b. a base providing a vertical pivot, c. a plurality of discs mounted one above the other for independent rotation about the pivot, each disc having a plurality of compartments located on its periphery for the storage of tools, d. a housing having a rotatable spindle, e. first transfer means located at a first position adjacent the magazine to convey a tool from a compartment for use by the spindle, f. a second tRansfer means located at a second position adjacent the magazine, and g. means provided to locate at the first position a compartment of one disc, which compartment contains a tool to be advanced next to the spindle and to locate at the second position an empty compartment of another disc to receive a tool that is about to be received from the spindle by the second transfer means.
 2. A machine tool, comprising a. a housing having a rotatable spindle, b. a storage magazine remote from the spindle having a plurality of compartments, c. a plurality of tool modules adapted to be stored in the compartments in a random manner, each module having a plurality of tool spindles extending in one direction and an input drive shaft extending in another direction, d. means extending from the magazine to the spindle for transferring a module from a compartment of the storage magazine to the spindle and subsequently returning it to the magazine, e. means provided at the spindle for supporting the module without rotation, for advancing it in the direction of the tool spindle axes, and for rotating the input drive shaft for rotation of the tool spindles, the module and a spindle housing being provided with a circular array of complementary gear teeth for accurately aligning the shaft and spindle axes, and f. a flanged ring on the module and a reciprocable collet surrounding the spindle for grasping the flanged ring and drawing the module toward the spindle.
 3. A machine tool, comprising a. a conveyor loop adapted to support and move tool modules seriatim in one direction, b. a spindle located adjacent the loop to receive the tool modules one at a time from an ordered queue line, c. a random storage magazine located adjacent the loop to receive the tool modules one at a time after they leave the spindle, and d. a bypass conveyor extending across the loop from a point on the loop between the spindle and the magazine to a point on the loop between the queue line and the spindle for the introduction to the head of the queue line of a particular queue line that is to be used again on the spindle soon after it has left the spindle.
 4. A machine tool, comprising, a. a housing having a rotatable spindle, b. a magazine having a plurality of compartments for the storage of tools, c. a queue line extending between the magazine and the spindle for presenting the tools seriatim to the spindle, d. transfer means extending between the magazine and the queue line to convey the tools one-at-a-time from the magazine to the queue line, and e. means connected to the transfer means operative on occasion to inhibit the transfer of new tools to the queue line and to convey an old tool which has just been used at the spindle to the end of the queue line.
 5. A machine tool as recited in claim 4, wherein the old tool is transferred from the spindle back to the magazine and immediately from the magazine to the queue line by the transfer means.
 6. A machine tool, comprising a. a housing having a rotatable spindle, b. a storage magazine remote from the spindle and having a plurality of compartments, c. a plurality of tool modules adapted to be stored in the compartments in a random manner, each module having tool spindle means extending in one direction and an input drive shaft extending in another direction, d. a queue line close to the spindle for the ordered storage of modules, e. transfer means extending between the magazine and the queue line for conveying a module from the magazine to the queue line, f. conveyor means mounted on the queue line for advancing the module along the queue line to the rotatable spindle, and g. return means extending from the spindle to the magazine for returning the module from the spindle to the magazine.
 7. A machine tool as recited in claim 6, wherein the queue line presents the modules seriatim to the spindle, wherein the transfer means conveys tHe modules one at a time to the queue line, and wherein means is operative on occasion to inhibit the transfer of new modules to the queue line and to convey an old module which has just been used at the spindle to the end of the queue line.
 8. A machine tool as recited in claim 6, wherein the storage magazine comprises a base having a vertical pivot and a plurality of discs mounted one above the other for independent rotation about the pivot, and wherein each disc is provided with a plurality of compartments located on its periphery for the storage of modules.
 9. A machine tool as recited in claim 6, wherein electronic data processing means is provided for retaining information as to the particular empty compartment to which a particular module is returned and using that information later on to transfer the same module again to the queue line.
 10. A machine tool, comprising a. a housing having a rotatable spindle, b. a storage magazine having a plurality of compartments, c. a plurality of tool modules adapted to be stored in the compartments, each module having a plurality of tool spindles extending in one direction and an input drive shaft extending in another direction, each module being provided with a flanged ring and the spindle being surrounded by a reciprocable collet for grasping the flanged ring and drawing the module toward the spindle, d. means for transferring a module from a compartment of the storage magazine to the spindle and subsequently returning it to the magazine, and e. electronic data processing means for retaining the information as to the particular empty compartment to which a particular tool module is returned and using that information later to transfer the tool module again to the spindle, the electronic data processing means containing at a given time the exact information as to the whereabouts of every tool module associated with the machine tool.
 11. A machine tool, comprising a. a housing having a rotatable spindle, b. a storage magazine having a plurality of compartments located adjacent the housing, c. a plurality of tool modules stored in the compartments, each module having a plurality of tool spindles extending in one direction and an input drive shaft extending in another direction, d. means extending from the storage magazine to the spindle for transferring a module from a compartment of the storage magazine to the spindle and subsequently returning it at random to an empty compartment of the magazine, e. electronic data processing means operatively connected to the storage magazine for retaining the information as to the particular empty compartment to which that particular tool is returned and using that information later to transfer the tool again to the spindle, the electronic data processing means containing at a given time the exact information as to the whereabouts of every tool associated with the machine tool, f. relatively delicate, but accurate means for connecting the input drive shaft to the spindle and located on the drive shaft and spindle, and g. relatively strong, but inaccurate means for also connecting the shaft to the spindle and located on the drive shaft and spindle.
 12. A machine tool, comprising a. a housing having a rotatable spindle, b. a magazine remote from the spindle and having a plurality of compartments for the random storage of tools, the storage capacity being relatively large, c. a queue storage means extending between the magazine and the spindle for the ordered storage of tools, the storage capacity being relatively small, but containing at least two tools, d. a conveyor for moving a tool from the magazine to the queue storage means and extending therebetween, e. means mounted on the conveyor for advancing the tool along the queue storage means to the rotatable spindle, and f. means extending between the spindle and magazine independent of the queue storage means for returning the tool directly tO the magazine.
 13. A machine tool as recited in claim 12, wherein each of the tools is a module having a plurality of tool spindles extending in one direction and an input drive shaft extending in the other direction.
 14. A machine tool, comprising a. a housing having a rotatable spindle, b. a storage magazine remote from the spindle having a plurality of compartments, c. a plurality of tool modules stored in the compartments in a random manner, each module having a plurality of tool spindles extending in one direction and an input drive shaft extending in another direction, d. means extending from the magazine to the spindle for transferring a module from a compartment of the storage magazine to the spindle and subsequently returning it to the magazine, e. means provided at the spindle for supporting the module without rotation, for advancing it in the direction of the tool spindle axes, and for rotating the input drive shaft for rotation of the tool spindles, f. relatively delicate, but accurate means located on the drive shaft and spindle for connecting the input drive shaft to the spindle, and g. relatively strong, but inaccurate means located on the drive shaft and spindle for also connecting the shaft to the spindle. 